Pot petitioners protest permit citation

A Missouri marijuana advocacy group is protesting the citation of two petition gatherers in St. Charles over the weekend. The volunteers for Show-Me Cannabis Regulation say they were detained by police shortly after midnight while collecting signatures.

Dave Roland, an attorney representing the two, says no ordinance was violated because collecting signatures is a First Amendment right.

“Police officers ought to know that there is no legitimate authority for a public official to prevent people from simply explaining different ideas and gathering public support for a ballot initiative like this,” Roland said.

Roland is asking St. Charles to drop the charges, return confiscated petitions, and destroy all copies that were made.

A St. Charles Police official says the matter is under investigation and could not comment any further.

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The 21-year-old son of Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has been cited for marijuana possession.

KRCG-TV reports that Willson Nixon was cited early Saturday for possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana after police were called to investigate complaints of a loud party at a Columbia apartment complex.

An organization called Show-Me Cannabis wants to ask Missourians to vote on the legalization and medical regulation of marijuana.

Under the proposal, pot use, possession and small-scale growing would be decriminalized for Missourians who are 21 or older. The state would also be required to issue retail licenses to sell the drug and oversee a medical marijuana program.

Campaign Director Amber Langston said it’s important to at least have a discussion about the benefits of marijuana.